86R4892 KJE-D
By: Stickland H.B. No. 1133
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to public school class size limits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 25.112(a) and (d), Education Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise authorized by this section, a school
district may not enroll at a campus in classes in the kindergarten,
first, second, third, or fourth grade levels more than a
campus-wide average in each of those grade levels of 22 students per
[in a kindergarten, first, second, third, or fourth grade] class.
That limitation does not apply during:
(1) any 12-week period of the school year selected by
the district, in the case of a district whose average daily
attendance is adjusted under Section 42.005(c); or
(2) the last 12 weeks of any school year in the case of
any other district.
(d) On application of a school district, the commissioner
may except the district from the limit in Subsection (a) for the
school year if the commissioner finds the limit works an undue
hardship on the district. An exception expires at the end of the
school year for which it is granted.
SECTION 2. Section 25.113(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) A campus or district that is granted an exception under
Section 25.112(d) from class size limits shall provide written
notice of the exception to the parent of or person standing in
parental relation to each student affected by the exception. The
notice must be in conspicuous bold or underlined print and:
(1) specify the grade level [class] for which an
exception from the limit imposed by Section 25.112(a) was granted;
(2) state the number of children in each [the] class at
the grade level for which the exception was granted; and
(3) be included in a regular mailing or other
communication from the campus or district, such as information sent
home with students.
SECTION 3. Section 39.333, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 39.333. REGIONAL AND DISTRICT LEVEL REPORT. As part of
the comprehensive biennial report under Section 39.332, the agency
shall submit a regional and district level report covering the
preceding two school years and containing:
(1) a summary of school district compliance with the
student/teacher ratios and class-size limitations prescribed by
Sections 25.111 and 25.112, including:
(A) the number of campuses and grade levels
[classes] at each campus granted an exception from Section 25.112;
and
(B) for each campus granted an exception from
Section 25.112, a statement of whether the campus has been awarded a
distinction designation under Subchapter G or has been identified
as an unacceptable campus under Chapter 39A;
(2) a summary of the exemptions and waivers granted to
campuses and school districts under Section 7.056 or 39.232 and a
review of the effectiveness of each campus or district following
deregulation;
(3) an evaluation of the performance of the system of
regional education service centers based on the indicators adopted
under Section 8.101 and client satisfaction with services provided
under Subchapter B, Chapter 8;
(4) an evaluation of accelerated instruction programs
offered under Section 28.006, including an assessment of the
quality of such programs and the performance of students enrolled
in such programs; and
(5) the number of classes at each campus that are
currently being taught by individuals who are not certified in the
content areas of their respective classes.
SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
school year.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2019.